You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

There are over a million apps on the Google app store, and more than 20,000 apps are being added every month. Almost every business is beginning to create an app.

With so many apps around, how can one stand out from this crowded marketplace?

Here are a few tips..

#1 Make your app useful

It might sound simple, but a lot of apps are not as useful as developers think they are. You need to answer the question, “How does my app benefit the user?” Does it save him time, money, add value in any other way?

I use an app to create a task list. I used to prepare my To Do list on a sheet of paper but now I have it on my phone, and can add a task as and when I remember them. It’s made things more convenient for me.

Continue asking your users how the app is benefiting them, and make necessary changes to continue benefitting your user.

#2 Be clear about your target audience

It’s hard to create something that appeals to everybody. It’s much easier if you target a specific niche. Your niche shouldn’t be too small or too big, it should be big enough for your app to make money but too small for the big players. When you have a niche, it’s easier to identify communities where you can promote your app.

#3 Make it fun, conversational, and easy to use

We seem to be moving towards apps that help us initiate conversations, while also providing us with entertainment. It’s common sense that people like tools that are fun and easy to use.

I find it hard to believe that so many people spend so much of time and money on design but very little effort on copy.

It’s very important to create great content that shows potential users how your app is helping people. Videos are great. They can be uploaded and shared on YouTube.

#5 Promote your content with paid advertising

Sometimes it might be a better idea to promote your content rather than directly promoting your app download link. For example, a nice video or article like “Find out how your business can benefit from this app” can help your marketing more than a direct link to your app download page.

Social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are some places where you can promote your content, using paid ads. And then we have Google keywords, and mobile advertising.

I’ve seen that promoting content on social media has given me better results than Google adwords and even mobile advertising. But it depends on your business, and content consumption patterns of your target audience. With a little bit of experimenting, you can figure out what works for you.